Sealing means



Feb. l, 1949.

J. R. FREI SEALING MEANS original Filed Feb. 12, 1942 ATTORNEY Patented Feb. l, 1949 UNITED STA-'res PATENT orrrE-v SEALING MEANS Jakob R. Frei, Sidney, N. Y., assignor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware riginal Vaplilicatlonfl?einnaryfl2l942;SerlakNor\\` A .Divided and this application October 1944, Serial No.^561-,236:2'Inanada 430,554. 3l, bei' 4, 1942 to provide nove1 sealing means for rendering a compartment or enclosed space substantially oil tight.

Another object is to provide novel means for effectively and efficiently preventing leakage through the walls of a compartment around rotating parts` extending therethrough. v

The above and further objects and novel features of the invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and arenot intended as a deflnition of the limits of the invention, reference for this latter purpose being had primarily to the appended claims.

The single figure of the accompanying drawings is a sectional view, with parts broken away, showing a portion of van apparatus such as a magneto generator embodying one form of the present invention.

Only a single embodiment of the invention is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompany-` ing drawing, the same being shown as incorporated in a magneto generator for use in the ignition system of an internal combustion engine, or other similar structure. In the illustrated embodiment, a casing 30 is provided with a space or chamber 3| for lubricating oil or the like. one side of said space being closed `by a cover plate 32. A shaft 33 which may be the rotor shaft of a magneto extends into the opposite side of chamber 3l and is surrounded by a suitable anti-friction bearing and' oil seal which are shown diagrammatically at 34, said bearing and seal being similar to'bearing 31 and seal 40 to be hereinafter described. A second shaft 35 extends in a normallyhorizontal position through chamber 3| and is supported by suitable bearings such as rolleibearings `36, 31. Mounted on the upper end of shaft 33 is a beveled gear 33 which meshes with 4 Claims. (Cl. 30S-187.1)

Decem- 2 a similar gear 38 mounted intermediate the ends oi' shaft 35 for rotation therewith in chamber 3l. For the purpose of preventing an escape of liquid lubricating oil from chamber 3| along shaft 35, which oil is necessary for the lubrication of gears 38, 39 and the bearings for shafts 33, 35, a novel combination of oil sealing means is provided in the vicinity of each of the bearings for shafts 33 and 35. Each of the novel sealing means in the form illustrated comprises an outer cylindrical member or housing 4| having a press fit in a central opening in a cover plate 44 through which one end of shaft 35 extends. An inwardly extending radial flange 14 is formed on member 4I at the end thereof adjacent chamber 3| and has an inner cylindrical portion or member 15 attached thereto or formed integrally therewith, the latter member being disposed a short radial distance from the shaft. Secured by forcevt in cylindrical portion 15 to have a sliding engagement with said shaft is a cylindrical member or sleeve 48 having an external shoulder 11 pressed against flange 14. The section of shaft 36 which is surrounded-byeand has a running clearance with sleeve 48 is preferablysprovided* with a reverse spirathread or grooye"49 which,

during rotation of the shaftsixthdirectiomin which it is designed to rotate, tends to drive any" oil or other liquid trapped between said shaft and said sleeve along the shaft in the direction of compartment 3|.

To trap the oil which escapes from chamber 3| into oil seal housing 4| and prevent the flow thereof from said housing along shaft 35 to the exterior of casing 33, particularly when the shaft is not rotating, a cylindrical member 42 is provided around the shaft, said member having a ring of carbon or other suitable material secured in a fluid-tight `manner in the end thereof remote from compartment 3|. Ring 43 is adapted to engage an abutment or shoulder 46 formed on shaft 35 and rotatable therewith. Sliding'uidtight contact between ring 45 and shoulder 46 is yieldably maintained byv a plurality of circuiarly disposed springs 41 within housing member 4|. As shown, springs 41 are spaced about the periphery of the shaft and one end of each spring bears against the flange 14 while the other end thereof presses against a flange member or ring 82 which o is rigidly secured to ring 42.

An inwardly extending flange member 83 is secured in the end of housing 4| and serves to prevent the ejection of cylindrical member 42 from housing 4| when the oil seal assembly is removed from the shaft or when the shaft is removed from 'failure of the entire structure.

the casing. 'Forsealing the annular space between member 42 and flange member 33, an annular sheet of flexible oil-proof and oil-resilient material d3 is suitably secured across said space, the inner periphery thereof being clamped between rings 42 and 32 and the outer periphery thereof being clamped between an internal shoulder in housing member 4| and ring or ange mem- V ber 83. The leakage of oil from the space 62 within. oil seal housing 4| is prevented by the diaphragm 43 andthe continuous contact bey tween the stationary carbon ring 46 and the rotating surface of shoulder 46 on'the shaft. 'I'he burdenof the seal at 45, 431s substantially reduced by the reverse spiral 43 which cooperates with sleeve 43 to return oil to chamber 3| during rotation of shaft 35.

As a further precaution against the escape of oil from chamber 3| along shaft 35, anoil slinger 90 is mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith, said slinger beingV preferably located adjacent the inner end of bearing 31 so as to sling oil back into chamber 3l away from the bearing and thus reduce the amountof oil which would otherwise flow through the bearing to the oil sealing means heretofore described.' Slinger 90 is formed from a iiat ring having the inner periphery thereof clamped between a shoulder 32 formed on shaft 35 and the inner race of ball-bearing 3l. The outer periphery of slinger 90 is radially slotted at suitable intervals and portions 3| thereof are bent to provide surfaces similar in nature to fan blades.

' There is thus provided a novel structure whereby a lubricating oil chamber or the like into which rotating parts extend may be rendered Y substantially oil tight in a simple and effective manner. The novel vcombination of elements provided to insure a vgood oil seal is also such that 'partial' failure may occur without permitting a rapid exit of lubricating oil and consequent Additionally, the novel sealing means comprehended may be readily incorporated in a structure at relatively low cost.

Although only a single embodiment of the invention is illustrated and described, it is to be expressly understood that the vsame is not limited thereto. For example,.roller or other types of bearings may be provided for the rotating shaft and various other types of oil seals may be employed in lieu of the seal comprising parts 4I and 42. vOther changes may also be made in the design and arrangement of parts illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as will now be understood by those skilled in the art. For a denition of the limits' of the invention, reference is had the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus having a substantially closed compartment land a rotatable shaft extending through the wall thereof, the combination with said shaft and wall of a roller bearingfor journalling said shaft in said wall and sealing means for preventing the now of oil from said compart. ment along said shaft comprising an oil slinger primarily t0 having fan-like blades attached to said shaft.

adjacent one side of said bearing, an annular oil seal surrounding said shaft and having rubbing contact therewith on the other side of said bearing, a member surrounding said shaft between said bearing and annular seal, and a reverse spiral groove on said shaft where said shaft passes through said member in which it has only a running clearance.

2. In apparatus having a substantially closed compartment and a rotatableshaft extending through a wall thereof, the combination with said shaft and wall of a substantially frictionless bearing for journalling said shaft in said wall and means for preventing the flow of lubricating oil from said compartment along said shaft comprising an oil slinger having fan-like blade portions attached to said shaft adjacent lone side of said bearing and adapted to throw oil away from said bearing toward said compartment during rotation of the shaft, an annular 3. In apparatus having a substantially closed compartment and a rotatable shaft extending through a wall thereof, the combination with said shaft and wall of a substantially frictionless bearing for jourmalling said sha-ft in said wall, means mounted in said wall exteriorly of said bearing, said meansforming an annular with said shaft to prevent the leakage of oil from said chamber, a spiral groove in a portion of said shaft between said chamber and said compartment,the grooved portion of the shaft having a. running clearance in said iirst-named means, and an oil slinger mounted onsaid shaft for rotation therewith interiorly of and adjacent to said bearing.

4. In apparatus having a substantially closed compartment and a rotatable shaft extending through a wall thereof, the combination with said shaft and wall of a substantially frictionless bearing for journalling said shaft in said wall, means mounted in said wall exteriorly of said bearing, said means forming an annular chamber and having yieldable rubbing contact with said shaft to prevent the leakage of oil from said chamber, and a spiral groove in a portion of said shaft between said chamber and said compartment, the grooved portion of the shaft having a running clearance in said firstnam'ed means.

JAKOB R. FREI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITEDSTATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,208,045 Swart et al Dec. 12, 1916 1,708,710 Vincent Apr. 9, 1929 .1,722,489 Bott July 30. 1929 1,826,057 Dobbins Oct. 6, 1931 1,997,613 Vroom Apr. 16, 1935 2,000,293 Morrow May 7, 1935 2,077,881 Gits Apr. 20, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 738,853 France 1932 518,916 France .I-- 1921 chamber and having yieldable rubbing contact 

